3pt7 How To Be A Knight
by Lamby
Summary: Gambit has done a Very Bad Thing, and when he tried to put it right he ended up an ineffective knight in the Kingdom of Enchancia. Now he doesn't know what he is supposed to do, but a Princess called Sofia has a plan. Now complete!
1. Chapter 1

**X-Men: Evolution vs Sofia the First**

 **How to be a Knight**

 _Gambit has done a Very Bad Thing, and when he tried to put it right he ended up an ineffective knight in the Kingdom of Enchancia. Now he doesn't know what he is supposed to do, but a Princess called Sofia has a plan…_

01

Previously, on X-Men: Evolution…

Gambit couldn't take it. Blaze had broken his heart when she dumped him, and then crushed his spirit when she had imprisoned him. Now he _hated_ her. Every bone in his body wanted to hurt her like she had hurt him. He didn't think. He just acted. Drawing a playing card, he charged it and let fly.

The world moved in slow motion. The ace of hearts streaked through the air, a comet with a fuchsia tail. Some of the protestors started to look up, Rogue and Kitty included. The fire elemental saw something coming towards her and turned her head. Blaze's long hair flew out behind her, fire catching in the night air.

Gambit watched as Blaze saw the card. Every nanosecond was clear as crystal to him. The sudden fear on her face. The widening of her beautiful eyes. The gasp as she drew in a horrified breath. She looked past the card, seeking its origin. Her features, although they were etched in flame rather than flesh, were still of the girl he loved. Suddenly Gambit knew what was going to happen. Blaze's gaze met his and he knew he'd killed her. She knew it too and she was terrified. But it was too late…

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Walking through Bayville, Gambit was so caught up with trying to feel nothing that he didn't notice Storm and Magma coming out of a bank. Magma spotted him first and fearlessly shouted at him across the street, "Murderer! You murdered my friend!"

Gambit looked up to see Storm holding the spitting wildcat child back by both arms. Ororo looked seriously tempted to let go and let Gambit deal with the consequences. That she didn't was testament to her self-control and awareness of the members of the public that passed by, staring. Remy felt the sidewalk growing hot under his feet and decided he should be moving along. He nodded to Ororo, a sign of respect. Ororo looked mortally offended, but Remy was moving again and not looking back.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

At Bayville High School, the door to Paradox's office opened and he looked up, expecting to see his secretary. The figure on the threshold was unexpected but Paradox tried not to look surprised. He flashed his famous smile and put down his pen. With open arms he welcomed his visitor into his abode, "Gambit? To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I heard you were still here," Remy answered, "clingin' onto Bayville like a tick on a dog's belly. T'ought I'd better come see if it was true."

"Somehow I doubt you just dropped in for a chat," Paradox's tone was a warning.

"I seen what you can do," Gambit admitted. "The t'ings you do with other mutants' powers. You sent Kurt to another dimension…"

"I can't raise the dead Remy," Paradox cut to the chase.

"We don't know she's dead," Remy's voice cracked. "We don't know for sure. She jus' vanished. If there's a chance, jus' a chance, it worth takin' non?"

"No," Paradox shook his head. "I don't know what the consequences might be. I won't do it."

"You'll do it," Gambit told him. "Or I'll go to Officer Hozack an' tell him that one of Jacobi's minions got away. I'll tell him you're right here at the school. The FBI will be all over you like a rash an' you'll end up keepin' your boss company in the cells."

"So Zack was working for the FBI all along?" Paradox mused, rubbing his chin and considering his options. "I guess that should have been obvious."

"Don't change the subject," Remy argued. "You wanna keep your cushy principal job or not?"

Paradox responded by pushing back his chair and standing up. He came round the desk, cracking his knuckles. He looked Gambit squarely in the eye and warned him one last time.

"I have no idea what is about to happen. Brace yourself…"

Roll titles….


	2. Chapter 2

02

It was mid-morning in the Xavier Mansion's kitchen. Sunlight streamed through the big window and a fresh pot of coffee gave off an earthy aroma. Outside, because it was the school vacation, the X-kids were having a ball in the grounds. The sound of laughter permeated through the window, making Rogue feel oddly melancholy as she came into the kitchen. Her white bangs of hair were in her eyes. She could do nothing about it as in one hand she carried her tablet and the other was full of papers. College forms. She should have completed the paperwork weeks ago but she'd been putting it off. Rogue had thought no one had noticed her lackadaisical approach, however as she entered the kitchen she realised she couldn't have been more wrong.

Wolverine and Angel were sitting at the table, waiting for her. Rogue scowled, clutching her tablet and paperwork to her chest like a shield. "What's this," she asked, "an intervention?"

"Depends," Logan was gruff, as usual. "Have you signed those college forms yet?"

"Ah, err…" Rogue looked sheepish.

"I told you," Angel told Logan knowingly. Rogue's boyfriend sat back in his chair and folded his arms. His white wings extended slightly as he ruffled his feathers into a more comfortable position. One of them drifted free and floated lazily to the floor, but no one noticed. Rogue took a breath and pulled herself together.

"Ah'm just not all that sure that college is for me right now. After everything that's happened, lift just seems so…short. Ah kinda feel like I need to get out there an' live a little, y'know? Find some beauty in the world that's worth livin' for."

"Sounds like you're not cute enough for her anymore, Angel," teased Wolverine.

"That ain't what Ah mean Logan, you know that."

"Stop teasing her," Angel chastised, "seriously Wolverine."

"Yeah yeah, Pretty Boy." Wolverine pushed back his chair so that it squealed on the floor and stood up. He crossed to Rogue and held out a ball-point pen. "Rogue, you're gonna sign the forms."

"But…"

"And you're gonna date them one year from now," Logan continued unabashed. "Then you're gonna leave them with me." He pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and dusted it down, before opening it to remove a single plastic card. He gave it to Rogue, explaining, "This is an Institute credit card. It has $400 on it that will be paid off every month, for six months. If you go over that amount, I'll freeze the card. After six months you're on your own. Fair?"

"Oh," Rogue was amazed, "Logan, thank you!"

"One more thing," Wolverine wasn't finished. "In twelve months I want you back here and ready to go to college. Don't make me come get you."

Angel laughed, "But if you need a lift home you can call the mansion any time. I hear they have a helicopter and everything!" Rogue looked to her beau, "Yah don't mind, Sugah?" Angel gave a shrug and a little, sad smile. He knew, as she did, that if she left Bayville it meant they were breaking up. Warren just said, "You gotta do what you gotta do." Rogue was relieved he didn't say that he'd wait for her or anything so nonsensical. It made her leaving easier on both of them. Warren just asked, "When do you think you'll go?"

Rogue grinned, feeling the whole world calling to her, "No time like the present!"

"Do you need a ride to the airport?" Wolverine wanted to know.

"Ah'm gonna travel the world, Logan. Ah think I can manage the airport bus by myself." Rogue scrawled an illegible signature on the college forms and fled from the room in a flurry of excitement. Logan met Angel's eyes and asked, "You're sure you're okay with this?"

Angel looked abruptly stern, folding his arms and frowning. "It's what she needs, to get her away from _him_ …"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Rogue bid a hasty farewell to her friends at the Institute, embracing Kitty and Storm, promising Kurt and the Professor that she'd write. She only had one more goodbye to make before she left Bayville behind. The hospital was a grand building of red brick. Ambulances filled the bays at the front of the building, whilst medical staff in scrubs rushed backwards and forwards saving people's lives. Rogue easily navigated the massive corridors and winding staircases with barely a glance to the signs she passed. The smell of disinfectant clung to everything. The light was diffracted, greenish and sickly. Finally she turned into the ward that she had come to visit. There were a handful of patients lying here, all still, all unresponsive. The television mounted on the wall was showing Disney cartoons. As she entered the room, Rogue caught the attention of the attending nurse. "Any change? Any visitors?"

"Not since you last came, Miss," the nurse said flatly, answering both questions in one.

"Ah wrote to his father, Ah don't know why his family wouldn't send someone…"

"Nothing surprises me in this job anymore, Miss. Go right ahead, he's not going anywhere."

Rogue took a breath, steeling herself. Then she strode across the ward to a patient's bedside. Monitors bleeped, a drip dripped and she tried not to notice the charts that said nothing had changed in all the days since the patient had been admitted. The bedsheets where flat and white, pinning the patient's arms by his side. Rogue wondered if he did wake up, whether he'd be able to move.

"Hey, you still wastin' time hangin' around this place?" she asked in a quiet voice. "Ah know livin' at the Brotherhood house sucks, especially sharin' a bathroom with Toad, but this is getting a li'l dramatic even for you." There was no response. The monitor gave another bleep, but that was all. Rogue glanced at the lines on the screen, but there was nothing. Gambit simply didn't know she was there. Steeling herself, she tried again. "There's still no sign of Paradox. After he blasted you he just up an' left town."

Bleep, said the machine.

"It isn't like yah didn't deserve what he did to you, you know that. But you didn't even try an' fight him. Yah just walked straight into that office and let him shoot his powers off through that thick head o' yours. Why? Did you think it'd bring her back?"

Bleep.

"Anyway, Ah came to say goodbye. I'm leaving town for a while. Expect by the time I come back you'll have up an' gone…" Rogue choked up a little, then took a breath and forced herself to get a grip. "Bye Remy, stay outta trouble."

Bleep.

Rogue turned and left, trying and failing not to cry. She hoped wherever Gambit's consciousness was, it was a darn bit better than a dreary hospital ward…

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Meanwhile somewhere completely different, a certain Cajun had a very, very sore head. He squeezed his eyes tight shut and said, "Why do I feel like I've been kicked in the head by a horse?"

"It's not Rogue's fault, yo," said a familiar voice. "You just surprised her."

"Wha…" Gambit forced himself to open his eyes. He had already established that he was lying on his back. Now he could see trees above him and beyond the leafy branches was a glimmer of blue sky. He blinked tears from his eyes and two faces swam into view. One was Toad. The other was a shaggy, skewbald horse. What the heck was going on?


	3. Chapter 3

03

"Rogue," Toad explained in an exasperated voice. "She didn't mean to kick you, man. She ain't that kinda horse."

"Horse…" Gambit blinked away a few more stars and looked from Toad to the skewbald and back again. "Why is the horse called Rogue?"

"I dunno, she's your horse," Toad turned and hopped away. Rogue the horse likewise wandered off, swishing her brown and white tail. "I'm just your squire."

"Squire?" _Nothing is making sense_ , Remy thought to himself. _Why do my arms and legs feel so heavy?_ Somehow he managed to lever himself into a sitting position, realising as he did that his arms and legs were heavy because he was wearing armour. Actual armour made of shiny (ok, not very shiny) steel plate. Over the armour he was wearing a surcoat that was coloured brown and fuchsia pink in alternate quarters. But if that was weird, it only got stranger as he looked around.

Gambit saw that he was sitting in a woodland clearing, besides the remnants of a campfire. Toad was busy shoving what looked like furs and blankets into some saddlebags. A pole was stuck in the mud just beyond Toad, bearing a lilac banner which fluttered in the breeze. The banner was decorated with a fuchsia pink shield showing a black ace of spades, crowned by a knightly helmet with a brown feather atop it. A pink shield propped against a tree showed the same ace of spades design. A sword and a lance lay on the ground. Rogue the horse was brightly caparisoned with the same quartered brown and pink that Remy wore, and she had a black saddle.

"Yeah," said Toad as he fought to tie the saddlebags shut. "Squire, y'know I clean your armour, sharpen your sword, brush your horse…and you're teaching me how to be a knight."

Gambit looked again at his armour. "D'you even know _how_ to clean, Toad?"

"Trust me," Toad replied dismissively, "we are well suited to each other. So are we goin' to this tournament or what?"

"Tournament… Wait a minute, jus' back up! You said I was a knight?"

Toad rolled his eyes, "Yeah, Sir Remy the Reckless." Gambit grinned, that was kinda funny. Then he asked, "What tournament?"

"You really don't remember?" Toad scoffed. "Man, that horse kicked you harder than I thought… Ok so it's the King's birthday and they're having a jousting tournament in his honour up at the castle."

"King?"

"King Roland the Second of Enchancia. Are you sure you're Remy, because I'd have thought even you would remember that?" Gambit refused to rise to Toad's bating, because he might well be Remy but he wasn't Toad's Sir Remy for sure. _Paradox has done this,_ Gambit thought. _He's blasted me into some alternate universe with knights, jousting, kings…but why?_ "Why am I entering this jousting t'ing?"

"How should I know? Isn't it what knights do?" Toad grabbed Rogue's trailing reins and held them out to Gambit, who took them but didn't know what to do with them. "I mean, mostly I think you just wanted the gold. We're flat broke, as usual, which is why we're camping in the woods rather than staying in a nice inn at Dunwiddie." The look on Remy's face said he didn't know that name either, so Toad sighed and explained. "It's a village…heck I'll just show you."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

In the village of Dunwiddie, two young girls were playing at jousting. One girl wore a blue dress and had her dark hair chopped in a bob. The other wore an orange blouse with red skirts, and had ribbons in her hair. They charged each other from opposite ends of the street, furious on their hobby horses. Their lances were broom handles and their helms were two of Ruby's mom's best saucepans. Ruby and Jade came together in a great clatter of wood, got tangled up, and fell down in a heap laughing.

"Oh, my horse got broken…" Ruby noticed with sadness. As she lifted her hobby horse up so Jade could see the damage, its head fell off and went splat in a puddle. The friends looked at the hapless horse, then at each other, and started giggling again.

As they started to get to their feet, a long shadow fell across the road. The two girls looked up to see a man, a horse and a boy approaching. The morning sun was behind the figures, so they made ominous silhouettes as they came down the street. Jade grabbed Ruby's arm and the two retreated towards the side of the road. "Ooh," exclaimed Jade under her breath. "A real knight…"

Gambit hadn't dared attempt to mount Rogue the horse. Even if he had an idea how to get onto a horse whilst wearing a suit of armour, he didn't have a clue how to steer the beast. So he was leading Rogue along by the reins, trying not to trip up over the sword that hung at his waist and kept tangling in his surcoat. His shield and lance were strapped to Rogue's saddle. Toad was supposed to be carrying Sir Remy's banner so everyone knew who passed by. He couldn't quite bring himself to do this properly, so the flagpole was slung over Toad's shoulder like a fishing rod and the banner trailed in the dirt as it was dragged along behind.

Ruby frowned at Jade's proclamation that this was a real knight. "If he's a real knight, why isn't he riding his horse?" she whispered furiously. As happens with most furious whispers, she was overheard. Remy gave her a lopsided grin and said, "I'm savin' her energy for the tournament."

"Ooh, good idea!" Jade approved. Ruby pursed her lips and pointed out, "You'd better hurry, they'll be expecting your shield in the lists if you're competing."

"I got no idea what that means," Gambit replied, "but t'anks, Cherie." He gave a little half-bow as he and his squire moved away, making both girls squeak with delight.

"What's your name, Sir Knight?" Jade called after them. Gambit replied over his shoulder, just before passing out of view, "Sir Remy the Reckless, at your service!"

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The soaring white towers and conical roofs of Enchancia's castle rose up against the sky as Remy, Toad and Rogue approached. The trio crossed an arching bridge over to the island on which the castle was built. It was impossible for Gambit not to assess the castle as a thief would. He was impressed with the island's tall cliffs and the high walls that protected the dwelling from outsiders. Anyone who wanted to rob the castle would have to cross the same bridge and take the paved road to the main gate.

Today the gate stood open, flanked by royal guards baring spears. Through the gate rolled a manicured lawn, surrounded by mature trees and flower beds. The castle seemed to grow larger the closer Remy got to it, decadent with its enormous windows and golden spires. Tents were scattered all across the lawns like many coloured mushrooms, one for each tournament knight and in their heraldic colours. In the distance Remy could see a covered grandstand where the royal spectators would sit in comfort.

"Good morrow, Sir Knight," said a tall, stick-thin man with neat grey hair and a smart black jacket. "I am Baileywick, the castle steward. If you are entering the jousting tournament then please have your squire hang your shield in the lists. You're only just in time." As if to prove the point, Baileywick took out a gold pocket-watch on a chain and glanced at it.

"You heard the man, Toad. Hop to it." Gambit gave his name to Baileywick as Toad took the shield and hung it alongside a plethora of others on a wooden frame. Baileywick nodded once and then walked briskly off to address some serving staff. Gambit whistled with appreciation as he looked at the number of shields on display. Then he asked Toad, "So who's the competition?"

Toad squinted at the lists and all the assembled shields. "No idea, I'm a squire not a herald. It's all accroupi, meubles and wimbles to me." Remy thought for a moment, then decided he had nothing to add to that sentence that would make it make sense. So instead he suggested, "Let's go down to the joustin' field and find out… presuming that they do this in a field…" Rogue snorted indignantly, but Toad just shrugged.

"Whatever, you're the boss." They walked together down to the field where indeed the joust was to take place. A long tilt barrier ran in front of the royal pavilion, along opposite sides of which the combatant knights would ride so as to prevent collisions. Another, uncovered and less luxurious seating area was opposite the royal pavilion where the castle servants and commoners had gathered in readiness for the competition. Jesters were gallivanting in their motley colours for the crowd's entertainment as the knights had not yet started. There was music and laughter, but Remy suddenly felt nervous. What had he got himself into this time?


	4. Chapter 4

04

Toad meanwhile was looking at the knights that were milling about between their tents. "Let's see, we got everyone's favourite hero, the White Knight." Remy followed Toad's pointing finger to see Cyclops standing in full armour alongside a human-looking Kurt and a white horse with a Roman nose. No surprises that Kurt was Scott's squire, or that Scott was the White Knight. The horse danced sideways as Cyclops swung aboard, and Remy overheard Kurt say reassuringly, "Easy, Professor, easy." Jean was there too, her long red hair in a braid down her back and wearing a green gown. On her head was a tall pointed hat and her sleeves were enormous. Gambit wasn't sure if she'd come as a lady or a witch, but thought he'd better not ask. Meanwhile Toad continued his commentary.

"There's everyone's favourite anti-hero, the Black Knight."

"Sir Logan," Remy observed dryly, and he was right. Wolverine strode past with a dark-haired girl as his squire and a massive black horse. There was an uncanny resemblance between knight, squire and horse. All three had the same brooding, predatory gaze.

"And there's assorted many coloured losers…" Toad finished, waving an arm across the arrayed knights. Every colour of the rainbow was represented amongst the men and their horses, and then some. Gambit saw knights wearing stripes, knights wearing chevrons and knights wearing lions, bears and mythical beasts he couldn't even name. He tried to sound positive as he added, "An' me."

"Yeah, and you," echoed Toad. "I like your optimism, Bro."

Sir Logan wasn't far away so whilst Toad fussed around Rogue, Remy went over to have a quiet word. "Hey homme, that's a mighty fine animal you got there. What's its name?" Logan looked Remy over, clearly finding the Cajun lacking, before responding with his horse's name, "Sabretooth." With that, Sir Logan stalked off. Remy rolled his eyes, "Figures." X-23 arrived carrying Sabretooth's saddle. She was tiny in comparison with the enormous hairy brute and Remy felt it rude not to offer his assistance. "You need a hand with that, Petite?" X-23 snarled, showing her teeth. Remy was taken aback, "Did you jus' snarl at me?"

"Ahem," a pretty brunette woman in a glorious pink and white gown cleared her throat to get Remy to stand aside. Her hair was chestnut waves and her eyes sparkled with good humour. Remy couldn't help himself as he smiled charmingly, "Pardon, Cherie…" He bowed with style, letting her through. As he straightened up he found himself face to face with the pretty lady's husband. He had short blonde hair, sideburns to rival Logan's, and a royal blue jacket with a yellow cravat. He also had some stern words for the flirtatious Cajun, "Watch yourself, Sir Knight." King Roland took Queen Miranda's arm and they walked on towards the royal grandstand. Following them were the three royal children, a blond boy, his twin sister and their dark-haired younger stepsister in a dress of lavender purple.

"Were you just flirting with Queen Miranda?" Toad was almost scandalised. Almost.

"I didn't know she was the queen! Who are all the kids?"

"Prince James, Princess Sofia and…ahh… Princess Amber. She's the most popular princess at Royal Prep Academy, and the meanest…"

At this point Amber turned to Sofia and said quite clearly, "Do you smell something terrible?" Remy couldn't help but chuckle, "I don't t'ink she likes you as much as you like her, Toad."

"Hey," Toad was not dissuaded, "at least she noticed me."

"She noticed your stench, trust me it's hard not to."

"I had a bath last…" Toad never got to finish that sentence, much to Gambit's relief, as at that moment two trumpeters sounded and then Baileywick appeared in front of the dais to announce the first bout.

"Your Majesties, for your royal pleasure and amusement, I give you Sir Finnegan against Sir Remy the Reckless!"

Remy found himself jostled, shoved and pushed onto Rogue's back by Toad and Sir Logan, amongst others. Toad made a perfunctory attempt to shove Remy's feet into Rogue's stirrups, gave up and thrust the lance into Gambit's hand. His other hand was weighed down, trying to hold his shield that had been returned from the lists. Sir Logan slammed down the visor on Remy's helmet and it was like the lights suddenly went out. He was viewing the world through a slit in his visor as thin as a playing card, and the only thing he could hear was his own breath as it steamed up the helmet. Someone must have clouted Rogue to get her moving; Remy had nothing to do with it. All he knew is that suddenly Rogue had the bit between her teeth and was charging forwards.

Remy struggled to bring the lance to bear, but it was unbelievably unwieldy. Even as he tried to get the long pole properly couched, he could see Sir Finnegan in green and white bearing down on him. Every stride Rogue made jolted Remy from one side to the other, and then there was an almighty bang! Sir Finnegan had struck and Remy was airborne, then falling…falling… The ground rushed up and pummelled all the air from Gambit's chest. The lance fell, abandoned, as Rogue galloped on without her rider. For a moment, everything went black.

A girl's bored voice brought Remy back to himself. Princess Amber was unimpressed, "More like Sir Remy the Ridiculous."

As Gambit opened his eyes he was once again greeted by the faces of Rogue and Toad. "Wow," said Toad, "you really do suck. Time to find me a new knight... Yo! Sir Bartleby!"

Remy was dragged from the arena by two palace guards, with Rogue following along behind with her head down as though she was embarrassed. They were left alone in the middle of all the tents whilst the joust went on without them. Gambit stripped off his cumbersome gauntlets and dropped them alongside his helmet, sword, banner, shield and lance. This was no fun at all. There was no one else around, except for a few of the other knights' horses who munched hay from nets as they waited their turn. Rogue gave Gambit a shove with her nose and looked at him reproachfully.

"Don't look at me like that, Cherie. We were both out there. It ain't all my fault…" Rogue whinnied, looking annoyed. Gambit tried to pat her but she just shouldered him away. "Y'know there is somet'ing Rogue-ish about you."

Whilst Gambit sat there, trying to think what to do next in this strange world in which he found himself, he heard a polite young voice speaking.

"Well hey there," she said, "It's nice to meet you. I'm Sofia, what's your name?" Gambit looked up, thinking the Princess was talking to him. He was wrong. Sofia was talking to Sir Logan's horse, and Gambit suddenly had a very bad feeling. The black towered over the little girl but the child didn't look afraid. The horse snorted, nodding its head. Sofia hadn't noticed Gambit watching and kept talking to the horse, "Sabretooth? That's a… interesting name." The horse snorted and stamped a foot, his ears flat back against his skull. "I didn't mean it like that," said the Princess. "There's no need to get…"

Sabretooth snaked out his head to bite Sofia, who jumped back just as the teeth snapped shut. "Whoa! Just calm down!" Sabretooth wasn't listening. He reared, his massive neck arched and hooves the size of dinner plates poised to strike. Sofia froze. Gambit didn't. He darted across the space, pushing the Princess out of harm's way. In the same move he grabbed a handful of pebbles from the ground, charged them with his mutant powers so they would explode, and flung them at the descending stallion.

The horse recoiled briefly as a rain of pebbles struck his barrel chest. Gambit realised to his horror that his counterattack hadn't worked. He had no powers here! Affronted by being peppered with stones for no good reason, Sabretooth lashed out with his hooves. One struck Gambit's head and everything went black. Again.


	5. Chapter 5

05

When he awoke, the sun was streaming through a large window and illuminating a sumptuous bedchamber. Polished floors and mahogany furniture gleamed, whilst the four poster bed Gambit found himself in was large enough to make him feel like a child again. There was a table next to the bed on which sat a silver water jug, matching goblet and a bowl of fresh fruit. Gambit didn't think he'd even woken up anywhere quite this agreeable. Not even the Xavier Mansion could match this place. As he was contemplating this apparent change in his fortunes there was a knock at the door. Gambit pushed himself into a sitting position, propped up on goose feather pillows. He was wearing a white nightshirt he didn't recognise, which was a little unnerving, and he had a bandage wrapped around his brow.

Baileywick entered with an air of efficiency. "Ah, Sir Remy you are awake at last. The King and Queen wish me to pass on their sincere thanks for protecting Princess Sofia from that feral horse. They will surely reward you personally when you are back on your feet. In the meantime, please rest assured that your own mount is being well looked after in the royal stables. I have also taken it upon myself to have your armour sent to the finest blacksmith in the land to be cleaned and repaired. It will be returned tomorrow, good as new.

"However," continued the steward, "I must also be the barer of some bad news. Your squire has already left with one of the other knights, a Sir John the Red if I remember correctly. I hope you aren't troubled too much by this news."

Gambit thought _John the Red? Could that be Pyro?_ Aloud he said flatly, "I t'ink I can live with the disappointment. I ain't so sure being a knight is for me after all."

"Don't say that!" a young voice exclaimed from the doorway. Princess Sofia's big blue eyes were brimming with concern as she walked into the room. Baileywick addressed her politely, "I think Sir Remy may be right, Princess Sofia. His jousting really wasn't terribly good."

The steward left and Gambit thought that the princess might leave too, but instead she came to his bedside. She clutched a lop-eared grey rabbit and had a purple amulet catching the sunlight at her throat. As she reached the bedside, the rabbit jumped from her arms and landed besides the fruit bowl. The animal selected a ripe red apple and was tucking in with relish as Sofia addressed Gambit. "You can't just give up on being a knight, Sir Remy."

"I'm not knightly material, Princess. Let's just say I don't come from the right kind of family."

"So? I wasn't born a princess, either. My mom married the King, before that I was just a village girl."

"No offence, Princess, but how hard can it be to learn to be royalty? A fancy dress, a tiara…"

Sofia smiled, "Like there's nothing more to being a knight than wearing a suit of armour and riding about on a horse?"

"Fair point," Remy conceded.

"My dad told me that being a princess is about having a good heart," Sofia elaborated enthusiastically. "I think being a good knight is about being brave and protecting those weaker than you are. You've shown that you can do that, when you saved me from Sabretooth even though you got hurt."

"I didn't t'ink I'd lose to a horse…" Remy thought for a second "…again."

Sofia replied astutely, "I don't think you thought about it at all."

"That's been known to happen," Remy conceded. "Look Princess, I know you're trying to help but you don't know me. I've done really bad t'ings. I'm not someone you can rely on to be a hero, or a knight, whatever you wanna call it."

"Everyone deserves a second chance," Sofia was not dissuaded. "I think you could be a great knight, Sir Remy, and I'm going to help you..."

Gambit had a horrible feeling that something was about to happen, "Is this the part where you sing the big musical number?"

"Why?"

"Just don't. I'll do whatever you want, just don't start singing."

"Oh," Sofia looked a little disappointed and Remy felt quite bad. "Okay, I won't sing, but you really should get some more rest. Starting tomorrow we are gonna be busy."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The next day Remy woke again in the enormous bed and for a moment he just stretched out languorously, enjoying the space. "Hey there," said a perky voice, "sleep well?" Gambit jolted out of his torpor to see Princess Sofia sat on the edge of his mattress. Her pet rabbit was in the fruit bowl again, munching grapes this time. To Gambit's mild confusion there also appeared to be a couple of songbirds perched on a nearby wardrobe. As he sat up he saw Sofia was clutching a massive brown book, the kind that only Hank McCoy would read for fun.

"Fine t'anks," Gambit finally answered Sofia's question before turning to the rabbit. "Don't they feed you, Bugs?"

"His name is Clover."

"Nice to meet you Clover, are you sharin' some o' that fruit?" Gambit took a plum from under Clover's nose, much to the rabbit's disgust, and swung out of bed as he took a bite. "What's the book?"

"I borrowed it from my brother," Sofia confided, holding it out so Remy could read aloud the gold lettering on the front cover, "'How to be a Knight' by Sir Geoffrey de Lance…"

On cue, Baileywick arrived with a host of manservants who each carried some of Remy's knightly equipment. They had his brown and pink surcoat, freshly pressed, his sharpened sword, and all the elements of his armour that had been repaired and polished so the steel was mirror-bright. "Ooh, shiny," said Sofia, getting off the bed. "I'll be right outside."

Resigning himself to the whim of a child, Gambit asked Baileywick, "Is she always this enthusiastic?"

"Absolutely," said Baileywick with an indulgent smile.

"Tres bein," murmured the Cajun. "Okay let's get this over with. The sooner she realises I'm not cut out to be a knight, the better."

But at the back of his mind whilst he was getting ready, Gambit was thinking about why Paradox could possibly have sent him here? What was he supposed to do in this strange world? Had he been destined to come here and meet Sofia? To turn over a new leaf and start to make amends for his mistakes? Because if anyone could inspire someone to change for the better, surely it would be an eight-year-old princess with a heart of gold...

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Feeling slightly robotic with his armour back on, Sir Remy joined Sofia in the corridor. "This way," the princess decreed, leading him outside to a courtyard where Prince James was waiting amongst the flowerbeds with Gambit's pink shield. "Hey Sofe," the prince called, "you ready?"

"You bet," said Sofia with more enthusiasm than Gambit had ever had for anything his whole life. "Lead the way James." She turned to the Cajun, "James is going to be your squire for the day, seeing as your last one left already."

"So where we goin'? Some kinda practice yard?"

"Err, no," James shook his head. "The guards practice in the tilt yard, but it's a little…public. I -thought you'd prefer to train somewhere a little more secluded." He didn't say that he thought Remy was a terrible knight and he was embarrassed to be training with him, but he didn't need to. Gambit didn't know whether to be annoyed that James had so little faith, or relieved that the humiliation Sofia was about to inflict on him would be private.

The trio crossed the grounds and headed out of the castle walls towards the island's coastline. Gambit smelt the brine and felt the sea breeze ruffle his hair. A grassy clifftop with a short wooden rail was waiting for them, but then James indicated a steep flight of steps that headed down to a little cove. "This way," the prince told the knight. "This cove is perfect, you can't see it from any of the castle windows, and the trolls won't be interested in what we're doing. They only like stargazing and making music."

"Trolls…" Gambit shook his head to himself. Could this get any stranger?


	6. Chapter 6

06

James and Sofia were distracted at that moment by another figure, and so didn't notice Gambit's bewildered expression. A girl in a light green gown sat on a picnic blanket on the sandy shore, a parasol over her shoulder and a fan in her hand.

"Amber?" James greeted his twin. "What are you doing here? You don't care about knights and armour and jousting."

"Of course not," Amber dismissed James' concerns, "but judging by what happened at the tournament neither does Sir Remy. I've told Sofia that she's wasting her time but she's just not listening, as usual. I just want to be so I can tell you I told you so when it becomes obvious that Sir Remy is in the wrong job."

"T'anks for the encouragement, Princess," Remy droned, meaning not a word.

"Ignore her," James counselled, "we usually do." Amber made a 'humph' noise in the back of her throat and pouted. Gambit decided to do as James recommended and instead took a look around. The cliff did screen the cove from the castle, but that didn't mean that Gambit couldn't feel eyes on him. He thought he saw something peering at him from a crevice in the rocks, but when he went closer whatever it was had gone. Trolls? He pushed the thought from his mind. The cove was sheltered from the wind and someone had pulled a little rowing boat up above the high water line. Across the inlet Gambit could see a wooded shoreline and a pebbly beach that marked the mainland.

"We're ready," called Sofia. Gambit turned back to the children to find the three of them sat on Amber's picnic blanket around the open book. "Chapter one," Sofia read aloud. "Knighthood, your noble destiny... We should test you to see how well you know the Code of Chivalry."

"Hmm," said Amber as she commandeered the book. "I'm glad I'm not a knight. It says here 'a knight must fast often, drink little, be badly paid, get up early, often have bad horses and a hard end to the campaign'. That doesn't sound much like fun to me."

"Amber you're just trying to discourage him," Sofia replied.

"It's workin'," said Gambit. "What's the Code of Chivalry?" James took the book off Amber and closed it. He didn't need to see the Code to know what it said. "There are six rules," the prince said. "Rule one, a knight must be honest and tell the truth."

"Even when he breaks the castle rules," Amber whispered to Sofia, who giggled.

"Rule two," James ignored his sisters. "A knight must always help those in need. Rule three, a knight must show bravery at all times. Rule four, a knight must not mind discomfort. Rule five, a knight must be loyal and obey his leader. And rule six, a knight must never brag or boast. That's it."

"Easy for you to say," Gambit retorted. "What's the next chapter?"

"A knight's weapons, your arms and armour," Sofia replied.

"Check," Gambit indicated to his attire with a smile. "That part I got covered, non? Next?"

"Squires," said James, "but you must have finished being a squire years ago, before you were made a knight, so we don't need to do that chapter…" He flicked forwards through the book, "Horses, yeah you got one of those… Heraldry, how to tell friend from foe… Ah, here we are! Chapter six is training and becoming a better knight. We need a pell."

"A what?" Remy and Amber asked at the same time. James was already on his feet and helping Sofia up. "A pell," the prince explained, "it's a wooden post or tree stump for practicing sword strokes. We haven't seen your swordplay yet, maybe it will make up for the jousting."

"Something should," said Amber snidely.

"Hey," Sofia pointed to something at the high tide line. "There's a driftwood log, will that do?"

"Perfect!" James decided. Between the prince and the knight, they levered the log upright and put one end into a hole Sofia dug with both hands. The boys then held the stump steady whilst Sofia back-filled the hole with sand and pebbles. Amber just watched, fanning herself. When the hole was filled, James gave the new pell a shake, but it didn't move. "Boom goes the cannon!"

Remy put his hand to his sword hilt and slowly drew the blade. It came free smoothly; testament to the attention Baileywick's blacksmith had paid to it. The steel glinted in the sunlight and Gambit marvelled at the balanced weight. This felt a lot more natural to hold than the lance and it helped that he wasn't riding a horse. He gave a few practice swipes, enjoying the sound as the sword whistled through the air.

"Well go on," Amber told him. "Hit the stump."

"Yes ma'am," Remy did as he was told and picked up his shield with his left hand. Sword in his right hand he approached the pell and pulled back his arm. He gave it a gentle rap, then a hefty clout, followed by a wallop, a thrust and a parry. He began to forget about his audience and fall into the training mind-set he'd had as an X-Man and an Acolyte. Training had never been a real problem for him and wielding the sword wasn't too different from the staff weapon he was used to. He moved his feet, tested his strength and battered the log until woodchips were flying in every direction. He only stopped when the pell teetered, wobbled and crashed to the beach in defeat.

"Woohoo!" James cheered as he danced with excitement. Sofia was equally impressed, "Sir Remy that was amazing!" Gambit blinked as he remembered where he was and what he was doing, then gave a sheepish smile.

"Humph," Amber was not impressed, mostly because it was becoming less likely she'd get to say' I told you so' to Sofia. "Swordplay isn't everything you know."

"We know," James said to his sister, "not that you do Amber."

"There's plenty more chapters to the book," the blonde princess had the tome now and was flicking through it. "Jousting, well we already know Sir Remy can't do that… Castles… Sieges… Ugh this book is so boring. Ah! That's more like it."

"What is it?" Sofia asked, intrigued. Amber held it up so they could all see the page she had found, saying, "Chapter ten, the quest and riding to adventure. How many quests have you been on Sir Remy? Vanquished any dragons lately? How about smiting evil knights?"

"Amber," Sofia protested, "the only dragon you know is Crackle, and you wouldn't want anyone to vanquish her, would you?"

"Well no, I guess not," Amber backtracked.

"And when was the last time you heard of an evil knight in Enchancia?" James wanted to know.

"Okay, never," Amber conceded. "But he can't be a knight if he hasn't had a quest. It says so in the book."

Sofia looked at Remy optimistically. "You must have been on plenty of quests, Sir Remy. Will you tell us about them?"

"Err…" Gambit wondered where to start, "I've never seen a dragon, or a troll for that matter."

"Ogre?" asked James.

"No."

"Giant?" James said.

"Non."

"Griffin? Minotaur? Wyvern? Naga? Manticore?"

"No, and you jus' made up those last two."

"But you've defeated evil knights," Sofia was hopeful. "Am I right?"

"Knights dressed like me, in armour and carryin' swords?" Remy watched Sofia nod. "Then no, not so much Petite… Bad guys, yeah, bad girls too on occasion but never a knight. I'm with your sister; this ain't the career for me." James sighed, "I agree with Remy, Sofe. This isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be."

"Just because something is difficult doesn't mean it's not worth doing," Sofia retorted. "Or that it can't be done. I think…"

"Wait!" Amber interrupted. She was pointing at something over on the mainland, "What's that?"

Remy and the others turned to look. Something was moving in the tall fir trees on the opposite shore. As they watched, a slender white animal slipped out from between the trunks of the trees and picked its way delicately over the rocky shore. Large dished ears twitched back and forth, alert for any danger. Big liquid brown eyes framed by long lashes were set on either side of a graceful dished face. Cloven hooves slipped on the wet stones, struggling for purchase. The white deer stopped, poised, and looked directly at the foursome in the cove. "It's just a deer, Amber," James dismissed the creature.

"Is it wearing jewellery?" Amber was excited by a flash of gold in the sunshine, "Look, it is! That doe has a circlet on her head and a chain around her neck!"

"I think it's a questing beast!" Sofia was also excited. She grabbed the book and pointed to the open page. "See here, it says a questing beast, often in the guise of a white deer, mysteriously appears to lead knights on adventures."

"So it does," James had caught on and was grinning from ear to ear. "She's here for you, Sir Remy! You have to follow her!"

Remy looked from one eager royal face to the next and shook his head. His response was flat, "I ain't followin' some random woodland creature to prove that I'm a knight. I'm not. Besides it's on the other shore. By the time I got to the mainland it'll have disappeared and I'll never see it again."

"There's a boat," James pointed out. "It won't take us long to row across."

"If she's not a questing beast she'll still have disappeared before we put ashore," said Amber.

"But if she is," countered Sofia, "then she's bound to wait so Sir Remy can follow her." James was already pushing the row boat towards the water, and he shouted, "C'mon guys!" Amber and Sofia were on their feet now too and went to help James. More precisely, Sofia went to help whilst Amber got into the boat so she wouldn't get her gown wet as it actually reached the water. Remy took a breath. He could see where this was heading and he didn't much like it.

"You kids are gonna go chase that thing whether I want to or not, aren't you? What if something happens to you?"

"It won't," Sofia was confident, "because you're coming with us."

Gambit sighed. "I guess I am."


	7. Chapter 7

07

Under Gambit's instructions Sofia climbed into the boat besides Amber and both girls held on tight. James helped Remy push the boat into the shallows. Then as the waves caught the prow the prince leapt aboard. Gambit gave the boat another shove and as it lifted clear of the beach he too climbed in and took up the oars. He tried not to look at the watching deer, instead focusing on getting the small boat across to the mainland as smoothly as possible. As the boat approached the opposite shore a bigger wave caught the bow and they sped headlong into the bank. The young royals were thrown forwards and Gambit immediately apologised to the princesses, "Pardon, ladies."

James climbed ashore and held out his arm for Amber to take as she stepped clear of the boat. Gambit scooped up Sofia and set her lightly on solid ground. Instantly Amber exclaimed in disappointment, "Oh, she's gone."

"No wait, there she is!" Sofia pointed to a flash of white amongst the trees. Gambit walked quickly up the beach. Sure enough the deer hind was waiting just beyond the tree line. There was something ethereal about the animal, and she was indeed wearing a gold circlet and a golden linked chain around her slender neck. She met Gambit's eyes briefly and he thought he saw fear there, but in a heartbeat she was gone, fleeing down a woodland path. "After her!" exclaimed James, and Gambit was carried away with the stampeding children deep into the forest.

The four adventurers followed the white hind until eventually she led them into a woodland clearing. In the centre of the clearing sat a ramshackle redwood cottage with smoke curling out of its twisted iron chimney. The shutters, doors and lintels were painted black. Ivy covered the forest floor all around, and was growing up the east side of the cottage in a blanket of green. The front door to the cottage stood open. The hind darted away, to stand in the treeline as Remy and the children looked inside.

A table was stood just inside the door. It was tall and thin, with a chequerboard pattern on its top. It bore a white platter that was filled with honey cakes and a sign with the words 'Eat me' embossed upon it. James shrugged and reached out a hand, "Be rude not to." As he tucked in to a cake, the others looked around. The cottage was gloomy and bizarre with strange objects, bunches of herbs and bleached twigs strung from the low beams of the roof. An open fire was burning merrily, but no cooking pot hung there. There was a bookcase full of battered old tomes and scrolls. A tall sideboard contained a plethora of glass jars labelled with names like 'eye of newt' and 'pickled fox tails'.

A cage of white mice sat on a large oak kitchen table near the fire. Gambit went to take a look at the inhabitants, of whom there were three. One skinny mouse was running non-stop on an exercise wheel. A medium size mouse was sat grooming himself and looking ready to bite the next hand that came close enough. A fat one, double the size of the second mouse, was stood over a food bowl eating sunflower seeds as though they were going out of season. The nursery rhyme 'three blind mice' was just repeating itself in Gambit's head when the cottage's owner appeared.

"Who are you," said a female voice, "and what are you doing in my home?" Remy turned and saw Wanda, the Scarlet Witch, standing with her arms extended and a scowl on her face. She wore flowing red and black robes and had a wand in her hand.

"Eating cake," James responded without really thinking about who he was talking to. Amber meanwhile just squealed, "Eek, a witch!"

"The Scarlet Witch," Remy supplied, unimpressed. Wanda gave a flick of her wrist, limbering up her wand. "Don't wave that t'ing at me, Wanda, you gonna have someone's eye out."

"I don't know who you are or how you know my names, Sir Knight," Wanda replied. "But you might be just what I need." Gambit grinned, "That's what they all say, Cherie."

"Oh," Sofia came to stand by Remy. "Do you have a quest for Sir Remy? Maybe that's why the white hind led us here."

"I don't know about a white hind," Wanda dropped her wand and shot a guilty look towards her three white mice. "I do know that a wizard named Magnus has stolen something precious of mine and I need to get it back."

"What is it?" Sofia asked.

"A cauldron," the witch explained, "the Cauldron of Arrowrose."

"Is it magical?" Amber asked.

"Of course, with it I can create the most perfect potions. Magnus fears my powers and seeks to prevent me from fulfilling my potential."

"He's your dad," Remy told Wanda flatly. "You gotta problem with him borrowin' your stuff, take it up with him, non?" He turned to the royal children. "C'mon mes enfants, I ain't gettin' mixed up with this family's problems."

"You don't have a choice, Sir Remy," Wanda retorted. "I have no idea how you know so much about me. I do know that this is Prince James of Enchancia, the only son of King Roland the Second, and a greedy little boy. He's eaten my honey-trap cakes and you won't be able to get him to leave. You can try all you like. He'll just keep coming back here to eat more and more and more."

"Nice try," the Cajun said. "You'll run outta cakes."

"The plate replenishes itself, watch." As they looked, James picked up the last cake and sure enough the plate refilled itself magically. "Excellent!" said James around a mouthful of crumbs.

"I'll carry him out," Remy decided. He tried, but James was like a worm in his grip. The prince writhed and wriggled and slipped free, going straight back to the plate. Wanda couldn't hide her pleasure, "I don't think King Roland is going to be too happy with you, is he? But you're in luck, because I can make a potion to cure James of his addiction."

"Let me guess," said Sofia, "you need the Cauldron of Arrowrose to do it?"

"Got it in one."

Sofia addressed her sister, taking charge. "Amber will you please stay here with James and make sure she doesn't do anything else sneaky? Sir Remy and I will go see the wizard Magnus and reclaim the cauldron."

"I have to stay here with those mice," Amber winced. "Eww!"

Remy looked at Sofia, "You should stay here too, Princess. Wanda's twisted but mostly harmless. Magnus is another thing entirely."

"No," Sofia insisted. "I'm coming with you. You might need my help." Unconsciously she touched the purple amulet at her neck, but Remy didn't understand the significance. As the pair went back outside the white hind was waiting for them in the middle of the ivy. She bounded away as they approached. "You think she knows where to find Magnus?"

"Why not?" Gambit shrugged, which was tricky in armour. "Makes about as much sense as anything else in this place, eh Petite?"


	8. Chapter 8

08

As any good knight errant knows, one quest tends to lead to another, questing beast or not. So it was that as Sofia and Sir Remy followed the white hind through the woods they came to a fast running river, over which spanned a slender wooden bridge. The hind darted abruptly to the right and a shout went up as someone saw her, "Lunch!"

"I know that voice…" murmured Remy. He and Sofia ran forwards, Gambit in front and Sofia following behind as fast as her shorter legs would carry her. The bridge was a raft of logs, tied together with ropes, and the whole thing bobbed and moved with the water. At the far side was a woodland camp where a skinny chestnut horse grazed, but the camp's other occupants were armed and already on the bridge. For a moment the two figures were intent on venison for lunch, but then they saw Remy and Sofia approaching.

One of the figures was Toad, who carried a slingshot and a handful of river pebbles. The other figure was Toad's new employer, Sir John the Red, known better to Remy as Pyro. Sir John had greasy blond hair and a garish red surcoat over rust-coloured armour (or it could just have been rusty, Remy couldn't be sure). John had a longbow with an arrow on the string and a sword at his waist. The banner over the camp and the device on the shield propped up by the campfire were the same red flames on a yellow field. "You there!" shouted Pyro, turning the longbow so the arrow pointed at Remy. "There's a toll to cross this bridge."

"Aww," moaned Toad. "That deer got away… I say we double the toll to pay for lunch, yo!"

"Seems fair enough to me mate," agreed Pyro.

"I ain't payin' a toll," Gambit replied, hand on his sword as he pushed Sofia behind him to protect her. "Get outta my way, John."

"I don't move for anyone," snarled Pyro. "Especially not for Sir Remy the Ridiculous!"

"Then I'll have to make you move," Gambit drew his sword, realising he had left his shield and helmet on the beach back at the castle. John handed his bow and arrow to his squire, who fell back beyond the rickety bridge. The red knight drew his own sword then spread his feet apart and beckoned Gambit forwards.

As Remy stepped onto the bridge he staggered slightly as the wooden pier bucked under his weight. He was unsteady in his armour, realising belatedly that the water was quite deep and he was wearing a tonne of metal. If he came off the bridge he was going to get very, very wet. Remy swallowed and took another step forwards. John obviously had the same idea as he stood still, letting Gambit do all the attacking. _Here goes not'ing,_ Gambit thought to himself as he slashed out with his sword in a flashy move. Sir John blocked it easily and followed with a crafty riposte, but Remy was ready for that and stamped a foot down, hard. The bridge jumped in the water and Sir John went grey for a second, flinging his arms out wide to balance himself. _Huh, I ain't the only one wearing armour,_ Remy realised. With a flick of his arm he attacked again, and then withdrew to lure John to attack him. Swords clattered and every blow that struck armour rang like a church bell.

Gambit was vaguely aware that Sofia watched the swordplay with grim fascination, until a flash of white drew her attention. The doe was back, peering between the pine trees at the combatants with obvious interest. Unfortunately Toad had also spotted the deer and now he had John's bow. Thinking of his stomach the squire took aim from the far bank, drawing back the bowstring to his ear. Sofia shouted "No!" as the boy released the arrow. The deer darted away, kicking up her hooves, and the arrow thwacked soundly into a tree. Gambit couldn't help but turn to see what was happening to his questing beast. Sir John pounced on Remy's distraction and gave him a solid thwack to the knee that unbalanced Sofia's knight. Sir John pirouetted, putting all his weight into another blow to finish Remy off.

In a most un-knightly move Gambit released his sword and grabbed Sir John's surcoat with both hands. At the same time he dropped to one knee, regaining his balance, and then heaved Pyro over his shoulder to splash catastrophically into the surging water. Sir John the Red didn't even have time to yelp as he disappeared, bobbed to the surface for a moment, and then was dragged downstream in his heavy armour.

"Hey Toad," Gambit called to his former squire. Toad responded by dropping the bow and murmuring "Uh-oh!" Remy gave a quick smile, "Your new knight is even more of a loser than your old one. I hope you're very happy together."

"Yeah well," Toad was backing away from the bridge as Gambit got back to his feet. "I…err…" He reached the horse and grabbed its reins, "Bye!" With that Toad swung aboard the startled horse and cantered off downstream in pursuit of Sir John. Remy shook his head, retrieving his sword and sheathing it. When he looked back at the bank he had started on, he saw Sofia standing at the edge of the bridge. The princess had her hand on the shoulder of the doe, and both females watched Gambit with big eyes. _Like some sort o' emotional blackmail,_ Remy thought to himself, and he sighed. "After you, ladies," he stood to one side and gave a little bow, allowing his companions to cross.

"Thank you," said Sofia. The deer just twitched an ear, obviously disconcerted by the swaying bridge. As soon as her cloven hooves were on solid ground, she was off again, a white streak in the forest. Without questioning why, Gambit and Sofia followed. This time the deer led them out of the forest and towards higher ground in the mountains. She took them by steep rocky trails, weaving between thorn thickets and hopping over babbling brooks. Remy was glad of his armour as sometimes the thorns were a little close for comfort. He was impressed with Sofia who never once complained about her dress getting torn or even asked for a rest. The little princess was dogged in her pursuit of the deer because she thought it was the right thing to do. Gambit had a suspicion he had never believed in anything as strongly as Sofia believed that he could be a real knight. He'd never tell her but it was humbling. And a little bit terrifying.

Suddenly Gambit looked up and realised they had climbed above the forest. He stopped to take in the view. The treetops were a lumpy green carpet beneath them and there was a lazy smoke column coming up through the trees from Wanda's cottage. Beyond that was the sea, a shifting blanket of blue and green with silver sparkles. Enchancia's castle stood majestically, its conical towers splendid under a cloudless sky. Remy could see the rooftops of Dunwiddie and fields beyond. Gambit was struck by how quiet it was. There were no cars, no trains, no planes… Then he saw something take off from the castle and he had to ask, "What's that Cherie?" Sofia looked and gave a small shrug, used to such sights. "It's a coach pulled by flying horses."

" _Flying_ horses," Remy shook his head in wonderment.

"They don't have those where you come from?"

"Non Petite," Remy admitted. "I…" He was cut off by a sound something like nails on a chalkboard. A patter of pebbles cascaded down the path and the white deer fled back towards them. Her ears were flat against her skull as she ran as fast as her slender legs would carry her. "What the…" Remy asked as the animal disappeared. "Wait here Princess, something got her spooked bad, non?" The Cajun drew his sword and stepped cautiously over the crest of the path.

A plateau opened up in front of him, hemmed in by cliffs on three sides and thin air on the fourth. In the cliff face there was an opening to a cave. Weird writing was painted on the reddish rocks in white paint. Here and there were carefully piled stacks of rocks that seemed to resemble squat figures. Wind chimes made of hollow branches clattered in the breeze. Gambit noticed none of this, because there was an enormous crested lizard stalking the plateau.

The lizard was easily as tall at the shoulder as Remy and its pebbly skin was mottled green and yellow. Its enormous wedge-shaped head had bright yellow eyes and rows upon rows of serrated teeth. The crest rose on its head, disappeared over its neck and then stood proud again down the lizard's back like a great sail. Its whip-thin tail flicked this way and that like the tail of an angry cat, and was striped with bands of green and black. It had great yellow claws that scraped on the rocks as it moved. Fortunately for Remy, it hadn't yet seen the knight in shining armour. The lizard's focus was on a hapless wizard in a dusty red robe. Magnus, Magneto, was backed up against the sheer drop by the beast. The white-haired, clean-shaven wizard glanced behind him and gasped. He was barely a hair's breadth from a very long drop.

"That's a basilisk!" Sofia arrived at Gambit's side and provided the details. "I read about them in ' _Fantastic Creatures and Where to Find Them_.' He mustn't meet its eyes or it will turn him to…" Magnus chose that moment to do just what the princess said he shouldn't and looked directly at the basilisk. "Stone," finished Sofia, and the wizard was just that, a statue on a windswept cliff edge. "Uh-oh," said Sofia. "I think it's coming for us now…"


	9. Chapter 9

09

Sure enough the basilisk had lost interest in the statue and was turning around. The animal's tail knocked pebbles flying and its claws scored marks on the rocks. It opened its massive maw to cry out and once again the sound of nails on a chalkboard made Remy and Sofia wince. "Get back!" Gambit ordered Sofia, who obeyed. She ran for the path back down the hillside, but stumbled and fell to her knees. The basilisk seized its moment and snaked out its head, grabbing Sofia's gown in its teeth. As it lifted its head Sofia dangled helpless from its jaws.

"Over here you great lumberin' gator!" called the Cajun. He threw some rocks at the beast, avoiding Sofia of course, and then sprinted towards the mouth of the cave. _At least,_ he thought _, it can't look at Sofia if she's in its mouth…._ He heard the basilisk following but didn't dare glance back. How could he fight something he couldn't look at?

Entering the cave Gambit froze. Another knight! Then he recognised himself- it was a mirror! Remy remembered how Nightcrawler had defeated Paradox with a mirror, reflecting the mutant's powers back at him. Maybe, just maybe, he could make that work here too. The mirror was too big to move with an ornate gold frame set with jewels. There was a rumble behind him and the cave went dark. The basilisk was at the entrance, blocking the daylight.

"That's right," Gambit goaded it whilst he stood in front of the mirror, "in here you oversize reptile! Come get me!"

"Sir Remy," called Sofia with panic in her voice, "where are you?"

"I'm right here Princess, jus' hold on." The basilisk kept coming, and Remy made himself focus on a spot on the floor so he wouldn't meet the beast's terrible gaze. It was hard to stay put when the animal kept moving towards him, and not look up. "Come on," Remy beseeched the beast, "Come get me." He took a better grip on his sword and made a blind lunge for the animal. He knew he stood no chance of hitting it, he didn't want to risk hurting Sofia, but it had the desired effect. The basilisk opened its mouth to roar its disapproval, dropping Sofia who rolled away to safety under Magnus' bed. Then it lunged and Gambit dived away. He felt the stench of the lizard pass overhead, but then the basilisk got a face full of its own reflection and stopped. The change was instant and suddenly the wizard's cave had a new stone centrepiece.

"That was amazing," Sofia told him when Gambit finally decided to look up and see if his plan had worked. The Cajun breathed a sigh of relief, "No, that was lucky." He went to reach out and hand and touch the stone monster. "It gonna be some talkin' point at Magnus' next house party, huh?"

"But," Sofia said, "it turned the wizard to stone already?"

"I'm sure Wanda'll turn her old man back human again in no time," Remy replied. "Let's jus' find the cauldron and get it back to her before anything else attacks us."

"Could that be it?" Sofia wanted to know, pointing to a blackened old cooking pot that hung over an open fire further down inside Magnus' lair. Remy shook his head, "I t'ink it gonna be more bling than that. What's under here?" He picked up the corner of an old grey blanket and tossed it back. Sure enough, alongside a clutter of jars, pots and pans, was a polished silver cauldron decorated with golden snowflakes. "One magic cauldron," Gambit said with a smile. He sheathed his sword and reached out to take the pot. It took two hands, because it was heavier than it looked, but it wasn't big or bulky. As soon as they had it, they headed back onto the plateau where the white hind was waiting for them.

"We've got the Cauldron of Arrowrose," Sofia told the deer. "Can you take us back to Wanda's house so we can rescue my brother and sister?" Gambit was staggered when the doe gave a solemn nod, as if it had understood everything Sofia had said to it. Then the hind was speeding away again and it was all Remy could do to keep up with the animal on the way back down the steep mountain path. The trio returned without incident to Wanda's cottage just as the sun was starting to set. Inside, James was sitting on the floor with the never-ending plate of addictive cakes in his lap. He looked green from all the sweet food, but he kept shovelling more cake into his mouth regardless.

Wanda and Amber were stoically ignoring the prince. They were sat at Wanda's big kitchen table drinking fruit tea from Wanda's best goblets, nibbling sliced apple and pear from Wanda's best, non-enchanted plates and generally getting along surprisingly well.

"I still think," Amber was saying, "the worst thing about having a twin brother is sharing a birthday. My birthday should be all about celebrating me; after all I am pretty amazing. But no, I have to share it with James and every year it's the same chocolate cake, the same party games, having to take turns opening presents…"

"Oh I don't know," Wanda sighed. "I always kinda liked sharing birthdays with Pietro. He gets so excited for weeks beforehand, and he never forgets to buy me something. Which he would if my birthday wasn't the same day as his…" She glanced at the cage of white mice.

"I hate to interrupt the bonding, ladies," Remy drawled. He placed the cauldron on the table top between the girls. "But this t'ing is heavy."

"You got it!" Wanda was ecstatic.

"What took you so long?" Amber wanted to know, as Wanda left the table to stoke the fire and retrieve a selection of ingredients from her pantry.

"Oh nothing," Sofia said proudly. "Sir Remy just had to fight off an evil knight, and defeat a basilisk that had turned the wizard Magnus to stone."

"A basilisk did what?" Wanda was horrified.

"Relax," Remy told Magneto's daughter. "Your old man is fine; he's just a li'l grittier than usual. If you ask me it's an improvement but if you wanna change him back he's stood right by his cave. Take your time, he ain't going nowhere."

"Alright," Wanda said. "Thank you. I'll disenchant James now."

Not only did Wanda mix a potion to cure James, she also made a second potion to disenchant her own twin. Sofia and Remy were surprised to learn that the three white mice were in fact Wanda's brother Pietro and his friends Fred and Lance. She'd enchanted the in a fit of pique after they ruined a day's spell-making by spilling the potion all over Wanda's floor. She'd had toadstools and earwax sprouting from the floorboards on and off ever since.

The potion she made for James was luminous yellow and gloopy, like radioactive honey. He drank it down in one go, holding his nose against the smell. Sofia snatched the goblet away as James wobbled, swooned and then said, "I feel sick!"

"It will pass," Wanda sighed, bringing the boy a three-legged stool to sit on. The potion she then made for the mice was a strong-smelling, green liquid with the consistency of porridge.

"How you gonna get them to drink it?" Remy wanted to know.

"Allow me," said Sofia, going to the cage and opening the door. "Hey there little guys, why don't you come on out so we can get a better look at you?" Staggeringly the mice did just that. Pietro mouse was quickest, followed by Lance whilst Fred was reluctant to leave the sunflower seeds but was eventually persuaded by Sofia. The mice lined up, blinking on the table top whilst Wanda and Amber prepared three teaspoons of potion.

"Here you go," Sofia told the mice, taking a spoon from Wanda. "One taste and you'll soon be feeling like your old selves again." Fred needed no encouragement, going to Amber's spoon and lapping the potion diligently. After a second Lance and Pietro joined in. As Remy watched, the mice started to glow, then swell and then morph shape.

"Stand back," Wanda warned, and everyone did so. Just in time too, as Fred's human weight proved too much for the table and a leg snapped. The table kilted sideways, pitching a human Pietro into Lance who jolted into Fred.

"Wanda!" Pietro snapped, "It's about time you turned us back human, sis! Don't you ever do anything like that to me again, y'hear?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Wanda, but she had her wand in her hand and a twinkle in her eye. Pietro suddenly looked a little less argumentative. He turned to Fred and Lance, "Let's get outta here before she does anything else creepy!" With that the boys scarpered with their tails between their legs, metaphorically speaking.

"Oh no, no!" Amber's hysterical plea grabbed everyone's attention. "You silly beast, shoo!" It was the white deer. Whilst everyone had been distracted by the transforming mice, she had snuck into the cottage and was licking out Wanda's cauldron. She shied away as Amber shouted, but it was already too late. A tell-tale glow was emanating from the hind.

"She's transforming," said James. Amber cried, "Into what?"

"Only one way to find out," Sofia said as the deer bolted away through the open door and disappeared into the forest. Gambit concurred, "After her!"


	10. Chapter 10

10

Twilight had fallen whilst they had been indoors. Now the forest was a place of long shadows and eerie darkness. In the distant an owl hooted, whilst up above the treetops the first stars were winking into existence. The three royal children and their companion would have struggled to follow the deer had she not started to glow with the effect of Wanda' s potion. As the deer darted through the trees the humans pursued her. They stumbled over tree roots, splashed through muddy puddles, Amber's dress tore on a bramble thicket, but they did not give up. The white hind must have sensed this as eventually she slowed, coming to a standstill in the centre of a forest glade.

In the glade was a circle of black standing stones, ancient and carved with ritual markings. The grass grew thick and lush underfoot as no trees shaded the stone circle. Fireflies danced over the long grass, mirroring the stars that twinkled high above the clearing. The hind stood poised, one cloven hoof lifted tentatively as she looked back at her followers. Her dished ears twitched, listening. Small bats swooped overhead, nabbing moths for their supper. Clumsy in his armour Gambit came crashing to a halt, grabbing the trunk of an oak tree to stop himself from stumbling into the clearing. He held up a hand to halt the children who peered round the tree, as he did, to see what would happen next.

The deer's brown eyes suddenly glazed over and the glow that emanated from her grew brighter. It was so intense Gambit had to turn his face away. When he looked back the hind was on her back legs as her body straightened, contorted and changed. Cloven hooves became slender hands, white fur became a long gown with a short train, the golden chain graced a human throat and the circlet crowned a mass of long red curls. Long lashes closed over liquid brown eyes, and then opened again as the brightness of Wanda's magic faded.

Amber found her voice first, "Is that… a princess?" Gambit had only one word of reply, "Yes." He strode out from behind the tree, hand on his sword hilt, armour reflecting the glow of the fireflies as he walked through the grass. He called out to the girl in the long white gown who stood waiting, "Blaze?" Back in the treeline Prince James frowned, "They know each other?" Amber shushed her twin as Blaze spoke.

"You can stop right there _Sir_ Remy!" the former deer was nearly hysterical. "After what you did to me I don't want you anywhere near me!"

Gambit scowled, forgetting entirely that he was in Enchancia and that this Blaze might not know what he had done in Bayville. All the anger he'd been harbouring at Blaze's betrayal came flooding back. He couldn't help but shout, "What _I_ did? Chere you dumped me, set a trap for me, then locked me up an' threw away the key!"

"Well," countered Blaze, hand on her hip as Remy approached her. "You shouldn't have gone working for the bad guys!"

"You shouldn't have spent all my money!" contested the Cajun.

"Then you shouldn't have taken me shopping!" Blaze pouted, stamped her foot and turned her back on her ex-boyfriend. Amber approved, "I like her!"

James had seen enough, so whilst Gambit tried to think of a suitable reply the prince led his sisters into the glade and cleared his throat. "Aren't you going to introduce us, Sir Remy?"

Sofia didn't see any need for introductions. She took Blaze by the hand and turned her back to the group. "You knew all along that you were enchanted, didn't you? You led Sir Remy on the quests so he could help you be human again!"

"I didn't know what else to do," Blaze admitted to the princess.

"You poor thing," said Amber, taking Blaze's other hand. "Imagine only having Sir Remy to rely on… Oh I do like your dress, and that necklace is simply divine! Look, the chain-links are all crafted like tiny flames, how pretty!"

"Guys," James interrupted, "this is all fascinating but it's getting late and we're missing dinner. Besides, won't Mom and Dad be worried about us?"

Sofia went grey, "We did set off without telling anyone where we were going."

"I guess we did," Amber agreed. "I don't suppose anyone knows the way back to the castle? I feel like I've walked the length and breadth of the forest and I have no idea where we are. Plus these shoes are absolutely ruined."

"Who buys shoes that aren't made for walking?" asked James rhetorically. Gambit was more helpful, "I'll get you home Princess." Remy looked about, searching for landmarks, anything…. There was nothing. He wasn't even sure where they had entered the stone circle. "…Somehow."

"Oh for the…" Blaze said exasperatedly, taking her hands from the girls and pointing off into the trees. "It's that way, Rem. Honestly do you ever pay attention?" Knowing that was an argument he couldn't win, Gambit bowed and said, "Lead on, Cherie."

As they walked back through the trees Gambit watched Blaze intently. Was it this the Bayville Blaze, whom he thought he'd killed? Was that why Paradox had sent him here? Or was this an Enchancia version of Blaze who also had some reason to detest Sir Remy the Reckless? Did it even matter, as she clearly blamed him for something terrible? Still, when she had needed saving the only person she had trusted to help transform her into a human again had been him, so surely that was something? Blaze meanwhile was ignoring Remy as much as she possibly could. She accepted James' hand instead whenever they came to fallen logs or babbling brooks.

"It's funny," she admitted, stepping gracefully over a massive fallen tree trunk. "When I came this way I didn't think how hard it would be to walk back in skirts!" She turned to help Amber climb over. Sofia's legs weren't long enough, so Remy helped her leap the obstacle. The little princess thanked Remy kindly and Gambit felt Blaze's gaze on him. She had looked away again before he could meet her eyes. Remy shook his head, bemused, and decided to concentrate his attention where it was wanted. Sofia had been a trooper all day and now she was exhausted. Gambit caught her arm as she stumbled, stopping her fall.

"Allow me, Princess," Gambit said to the little girl as he scooped her into his arms. Sofia let herself be carried, her arms around Remy's neck, until they were clear of the woods. Remy caught Blaze's quizzical glance but would not rise to it. He could do the right thing, no matter what she thought of him. Blaze chewed her lip and overtook the knight in what was now chafing armour, leading them on towards the waiting boat on the rocky shore. It was about then that Remy's stomach gave an almighty rumble and Sofia couldn't help but giggle.

"I'm sorry," she apologised. "I shouldn't laugh, you must be hungry. Have you eaten anything today?"

"Not since I poached that plum from your rabbit at breakfast," Remy admitted. "Funny t'ing, but I didn't fancy Wanda's cooking. What about you Petite?"

"Oh I'm okay," Sofia confided. "My breakfast was about four courses, so…"

"How can you have a four course breakfast?" Blaze sounded intrigued.

"Mmm, well, first there was a bowl of home-made granola and yoghurt, followed by fresh strawberries and raspberries, then one of Chef Andre's all-butter croissants, then a plate of sausage, bacon, fried tomato…" As Sofia continued Remy's stomach growled again in protest. A second stomach answered in reply and Blaze blushed.

"All I had for breakfast was grass," the redhead wrinkled her nose at the thought. "Here's the boat."

The voyage back across the inlet was more cramped than the first one, and the boat sat lower in the water. Gambit had to hold his tongue so he didn't make a joke about Blaze's extra weight. All things considered he didn't think it wise.

They landed back on the beach below the castle without incident. Up above the castle itself looked tranquil, but the flickering lights and graceful towers were not as calm as first appeared. As soon as the quintet entered the castle gardens it was apparent that they had been missed. Guards rushed hither and there, baring burning torches as they searched for the absent children. Sofia said, "We are in big trouble. There goes Constable Miles! Dad must have the whole of the Castle Guard searching for us."

"We shouldn't have run off without telling someone," James realised.

"Sir Remy," pleaded Amber, "surely you can sneak us back in?"

Remy flashed a smile, "Now you're asking the right knight, Princess. Follow me."


	11. Chapter 11

11

They made it to the Throne Room without being detected by any of the guards. In the centre of the room, beneath the dais with its five empty thrones, King Roland II was pacing as he waited for news. Queen Miranda was wringing her hands as she watched her husband, whilst Baileywick checked his pocket watch in a frantic motion. Assorted servants waited around the hall, whispering to each other in concerned voices.

"Oh yeah," murmured Amber as the quintet peered around the gilded doorframe into the room. "We are in trouble." At the sound of Amber's voice the King and Queen looked over. Bashfully the children walked into the room, followed by Sir Remy. Blaze hung back in the doorway, unseen. Miranda fell to her knees to embrace her daughter and stepdaughter, taking her stepson's hand at the same time, "Sofia, Amber, James, thank goodness you're alright!"

King Roland was seething with anger as he strode over to Gambit. He squared up to the knight, who was a fraction taller than the King. "Sir Remy," said Roland coldly, "what is the meaning of this? You disappeared with our children without permission, putting all three of them at risk!" Gambit had the uneasy knowledge that all the guards were now no doubt converging on the room with swords drawn. And the evening had been going so well…

"I…" started Remy, not sure what to say. At that moment a white shape stepped past him, touching his gauntleted arm in passing. "It wasn't Sir Remy's fault, Your Majesty, it was mine. I led the four of them into the forest because I needed their help."

King Roland frowned as Queen Miranda let go of the children and came to her husband's side. They looked at each other and then back to the slender girl in the white gown who stood in front of them. King Roland asked, "And you are?"

"Daddy," Amber crooned, taking her father's hand. "May I introduce Princess Blaze?"

"She was enchanted," explained James. "Blaze had been transfigured into a white deer, but we got a witch her cauldron back and she made a potion that reversed the magic."

"We?" Amber tutted, "James all you did was eat cake."

"Sir Remy returned the cauldron," Sofia explained. "And to do it he had to defeat an evil knight, enter a wizard's lair, and turn a basilisk to stone with its own reflection!"

"I helped!" protested Amber. "The Scarlet Witch would never have made the potion if I hadn't convinced her to turn her twin brother back from being a mouse."

"That is right," Sofia acknowledged. "But Mom, Dad, don't be mad at Sir Remy. The three of us decided to follow the white deer because we thought it was Sir Remy's questing beast. He didn't want to go, but he followed anyway to protect us."

"Is this true, Sir Remy?" Miranda asked. Gambit saw no reason to lie, so he nodded, "It's true, lady."

"And those things the children said; the basilisk and the evil knight? You defeated them?" Miranda pressed. "It was not'ing," Remy shrugged, fully aware that the Castle Guard now completely surrounded him. The hairs were standing up on the back of his neck and his hand kept twitching for the lack of a playing card. Was this gonna turn into a fight?

"To be fair," James commented lightly, "apart from the jousting, which was awful by the way, Sir Remy has proved to be a pretty decent knight. I reckon he's ticked off all the six rules in just one day."

"Really?" Roland sounded surprised. Sofia nodded, "He's told the truth about us leading him into the forest…"

"And," Amber interrupted, "Sir Remy and Princess Blaze had a frank discussion about taking a princess shopping which seemed pretty honest to me."

"Thanks Amber," Sofia didn't mean it, but Amber failed to notice. The blonde flicked her hair back over her shoulder and said, "Don't mention it."

"He's helped those in need," James pointed out. "He helped Wanda and Blaze."

"He's been brave too," Sofia pointed out, "saving me from Sabretooth and defeating the basilisk."

"That's all well and good;" said Roland, "but a true knight must not mind discomfort."

"He has only eaten one plum all day," said Sofia, "and hasn't complained once. Even of his stomach was complaining for him."

"A knight must be loyal and obey his leader," challenged Roland. Sofia just smiled, "We told him that we were going into the forest and he was coming with us, to protect us. He has followed us, a prince and two princesses, all day to make sure we were safe."

"Very well," admitted Roland, "but a knight must also never brag or boast."

"Ahem," Miranda smiled at her husband. "Rolly, Sir Remy hasn't said anything about any of his brave deeds, other than to tell me it was nothing. I think the children may just be right."

"Interesting," said Roland, stroking his chin. Then the King came to a decision, "Sir Remy, your sword please." Gambit drew his sword and tentatively placed the hilt in the royal palm. The King raised his chin and his voice so that all could hear his proclamation. "It is known to Us that there are many knights who wander the realms without a thought for chivalry and honour. That is why Our royal forbearers set down the six rules of knighthood. For an individual to be declared a true knight of Enchancia he would have to demonstrate that he could live his life by these rules and so be a beacon of chivalry.

"Sir Remy, I bid you to take a knee." Remy did as he was told, aware of everyone watching him. The King took the blade and rested it lightly on each of Gambit's shoulders, one after the other. "I knight you in the name of Enchancia. Arise, Sir Remy!"

As Gambit staggered back to his feet, all the watching guards and servants cheered. The children joined in, James and Sofia enthusiastically and Amber with a polite clap of her hands. Blaze just turned away. Queen Miranda kissed Remy's unshaven cheek before Roland gave him his sword back. The crowd started to dissipate and the royal couple turned their attention to their wayward offspring.

"Children" began the King sternly, "I appreciate that you've had quite the adventure, but you must understand that your mother and I did not know where you were. You ran off without a word to anyone and we've been frantic with worry."

"We know Dad," James admitted ashamedly. Sofia concurred, "We're sorry."

"We would have told someone," Amber pouted, "but there just wasn't time…" Roland glared as his daughter and Amber backtracked, "Sorry Daddy."

"Very well," said Roland. "If you go with Violet she will show you to your supper and then it's straight to bed. You all have school in the morning." All three children said "Yes Dad," and filed out. That left the King, the Queen, Baileywick, Sir Remy and Blaze in the Throne Room.

"Blaze," Miranda took the girl by the hands, "you poor thing! What a horrible enchantment to have placed upon you. You are most welcome here in our castle, please make yourself at home for as long as you need. Baileywick, please show our guest to one of the bedrooms, she must be exhausted."

"Of course Your Majesty," agreed Baileywick. "If you will please follow me Princess, I will show you to your room then arrange supper and a hot bath for you."

"That sounds wonderful," Blaze sighed as she followed the steward from the room. "Just no venison please…" Remy was disappointed that she didn't once look back. What was he supposed to do now?

"A word of advice," Miranda offered the knight with a smile. "I can tell you're itching to go and speak with that girl. Whatever it is can wait until you've also eaten and bathed, and had chance to think about what you'll say to her."

"Very wise," agreed Roland as Miranda put her hand on his offered arm. "Good evening, Sir Remy, and congratulations on your appointment to the Knights of Enchancia." The King and Queen departed, leaving Gambit to consider his options.


	12. Chapter 12

12

His stomach won, so Remy went back to his room to lose the armour and pig out on roast chicken, crusty bread and the few pieces of fruit Clover had left in his fruit bowl. Then he washed and raided the closet, finding a brown velvet jacket, black troos, cream shirt and fuscia pink cravat waiting for him. He had no idea how to tie the cravat, so just looped it around his neck and left his shirt collar open in the hope it would look ok. He didn't really know where Blaze's room would be, but he strode off hopeful that he'd find her before morning. The castle was enormous, rambling and quiet now that darkness had fallen and most of the inhabitants were on their way to bed. Gambit wondered belatedly if he should be following suit, as he'd never known Blaze miss breakfast. He could talk to her over one of Chef Andre's famous croissants and maybe find out how much she hated him after a good night's sleep…

Too late, a door stood open in the long hallway ahead of him and somehow Gambit knew that this was the room. A sliver of moonlight cascaded across the polished marble floor of the hall. Inside the gilded chamber a picture window stood open, leading onto a balcony with a marble balustrade. There was a vase of blush coloured roses on a table and their sweet fragrance filled the air. An internal door stood open, giving a glimpse of an ornate free standing bathtub where rose petals swirled on water that still steamed slightly. There were wet footprints leading from the tub, and a towel discarded on the floor besides a tall wardrobe.

On the balcony a figure moved. Gambit saw Blaze had changed into a long gown of chocolate brown with a cream sash and cream lace that foamed around her wrists. Her hair was just about dry after her bath, and she held a goblet in her right hand. She still wore the circlet and the chain that had graced her as a deer. Gambit cleared his throat.

"How about this Cherie, me a knight in shining armour, you a damsel in distress…" He instantly regretted the joke as Blaze pointed out the obvious.

"If I'm in distress then it's your fault!" She came into the room and looked melancholy at her drink. "Also I think this goblet I broken." She put the empty cup down next to the roses and Gambit went to take her hand. Blaze snatched it away and backed up until she was out on the balcony again. "Don't come near me Rem I mean it."

Gambit was exasperated as he joined her outdoors, "How many times do I gotta say I'm sorry?"

"Once would be an improvement!" Blaze cried. Remy thought for a moment, and then realised she was right. This time when he reached for her hand she didn't get chance to snatch it away. He caught her and held her, making her look at him.

"I'm so sorry Blaze, I t'ought I had killed you…"

"So did I…" Blaze admitted, and she held very still as Gambit embraced her, resting his chin on her hair. After a moment he felt Blaze take hold of his shirt in her fingers as she murmured, "I thought I'd never see you again."

"We got a second chance now, eh Cherie? However it happened we're here now, we can start over." Blaze pulled back from him until she could look up at Remy, her hands in his. She shook her head solemnly, "This isn't our place. I can't stay here."

"Sure you can," Remy pretended not to understand. "I think the Queen kinda likes us, non? She'll let us stay as long as we want... I t'ought every girl wanted to be a princess, wear tiaras an' swoon over handsome knights?"

"Like you?" Blaze teased, but it her eyes were serious. "It doesn't matter what I want. I can't stay." Gambit realised that she was starting to glow again, only it was different this time. She glinted orange and gold, sparks drifting on the night air like fireflies. She was using her mutant powers, turning very slowly into her fire form. Gambit gasped, this was his Blaze- Bayville Blaze – after all! He could feel the heat coming from her as she spoke again, "I can't stay and neither can you." He had to drop her hands as his own started to burn. She was crying now, fiery tears running over her cheeks. "You need to wake up Remy. Open your eyes and wake up."

"I am awake! Gambit protested as fear rose inside him. She was in her fire form completely now but the transformation wasn't stopping there. She was starting to disintegrate, shredding into cinders on the breeze.

"Wake up Remy. The quest isn't over. You need to wake up."

"No!" Gambit snatched at the ethereal girl but she finally disappeared in a whirl of fire. Gambit was blinded by a flash of light and he felt a searing pain in his extended hand. When he opened his eyes, he was lying on his back staring at a strangely grey ceiling. His arms and legs were pinned by crisp sheets. There was a strong smell of disinfectant whilst Disney cartoons played on a wall-mounted TV. A hospital, he'd woken in a hospital. "Oh…" Bleep, said the machine that was monitoring him. Then an alarm sounded and half a dozen nurses came running. He was back.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Professor Charles Xavier was just entering his study at the Xavier Institute when he frowned, sensing someone waiting for him even though the room was in darkness. "Gambit." His voice was stern and distasteful, addressing an enemy. Gambit obligingly turned on a lamp. He was stood in the corner of the room by the open window, wearing his trench coat with his hands in the pockets.

"No need to call Wolverine, Professor. I'll throw myself out soon enough. I jus' wanted your opinion on somet'ing." Professor Xavier's opinion of Gambit couldn't get much lower, but he could sense the urgency of Remy's request so he acquiesced. "Go on." Gambit took a breath and then recounted his story of his adventures in Enchancia. Then he asked Xavier, "What d'you t'ink?"

"I think you took a blast of Paradox's power straight to the head," Xavier said flatly. "You were in a coma in hospital. There were cartoons on the television in the ward and your subconscious wove your dreams around them. Your misconstrued attempts to be a hero, a knight in shining armour, to Blaze and others are your mind trying to make amends for the terrible thing you've done. It wasn't real Gambit. Nothing has changed."

Gambit nodded, and gave a sly smile. "That's what I t'ought you'd say." He turned to leave via the window, the same way he'd gotten in. Xavier sensed the younger man's smugness and called out, "There's something you're not telling me, Gambit. What is it?"

"Nothin', seeing as it ain't real…" The Cajun knight held out a hand and let a delicate gold chain slip through his fingers. Each link was crafted like a tiny flame. He held it out for the Professor to see, palm upwards. Across his palm was a matching burn, perfectly etched on his skin. Before Xavier could touch the chain Gambit snatched it back and shoved his hand back into his pocket. "If it's all the same to you, Professor, I'll be returning this to its owner now. Like she said, the quest ain't over..."

Roll credits….


End file.
